I have been applying for teaching positions in many Asian countries and have had little or no luck. The only one to reply was a Korean school, however, I was told that they are only looking for caucasian teachers. I am Filipino-American and was disappointed to hear this. I was posting this message to find out how common this is. I am still very interested in teaching abroad, but I want to know if I'm applying for these positions in vain. Is it just this particular place that is looking for Caucasian teachers? Is it Korea? Or, is it any Asian country? If someone could please respond, it would be greatly appreciated.

Also, if this is just a rare case, maybe you could point me in the right direction. I am interested in going to many places. (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong) Thank you.

The nation's top rights watchdog yesterday accused Korean firms of maintaining discriminatory employment policies, under which they demand job applicants provide personal information that is irrelevant to their job.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it analyzed employment application forms used by 34 conglomerates and four state firms last year.

"We found all 38 companies' application papers contained at least four discriminatory items that have little relation to an applicant's qualifications or the purpose of employment, such as their physical condition or family backgrounds," the commission said in a statement.

The NHRC said the Korean firms' recruitment practices also seem to be unfair when compared with the guidelines set by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

I had an add here looking for work in Korea. I got bombarded with tons of job offers, begging me to "choose" them for work. When I sent them my resume and degree, they all wanted to hire me. But once I sent them my picture, all of a sudden they no longer had an interest in me. They either claimed work was not available yet or simply outright did not get back to me. Being black, I have faced nothing but pure discrimination. I am eager to go to Korea but I have not had success. But I know some blacks have been successful in getting teaching jobs in Korea. Problem is I do not know most of them personally, and only found out through secondary sources. The one light skinned black I know who did get a teaching job in Korea, told me the agency that hired him no longer exists. All I can say as another discriminated native English speaker of color, keep trying. Eventually someone will accept both of us for our credentials and qualifications, irrespective of our race. I suggest trying China. I already have an offer to teach in China (a white man interviewed me and hired me) but I'd prefer to go to Korea since there is more pay. I may just go to China and from there try applying directly to Korea. The best thing to do is to go through a school run by Americans or Canadians. All schools run by Asians tend to want white people only, especially white females with blond hair.

Excuse my generalization, but everyone here gets their ideas about westerners from the American movies, tv and music videos they see. And since they overwhelmingly see white people, they want to see white people teach their kids. When they see blacks represented, they see people behind bars or thugged out gangsta rappers. Who wants a thug-gangsta teaching their kids? So the bosses give the moms what they want to see: The whitest of white...The Backstreet Boys.

I think the one thing anyone coming over here must realize is that they are not here to teach. They are here for show. It's all based on the presentation. If you're not thin, white and good-looking, dont bother trying to get into a well established school. They dont want you.

I can understand what you are saying, but don't they get the Cosby Show or Fresh Prince of Bel Air? Don't they watch the news and know who Colin Powell is? They can't be that daft that the only blacks they know of are the Tu Paks and Biggie Smalls of the world? I can't understand why a black man in a suit and a tie, is not as good as a white? Nonetheless I know of blacks that have gone over to teach, so obviously some schools are willing to look past race and look only at qualifications and background. Either way, I can't umnderstand why they are crying out for Native English teachers, yet they are picky and choosy over who they teach. For every black candidate they turn down, that's a loss of potential students who want to learn English. I believe if you dress well, are polite and open minded, and carry yourself aristocratically and scholarly, the students will respect you regardless of race or gender.

They dont get the Cosby Show.
And the Fresh Prince, really now, was just one step about a minstral show.

Take a look in North America. White people fear blacks. They really fear black men wearing FUBU, rapping about their nine. Now, imagine you live in a country where you stand more of a chance seeing a Yeti than a black man who isnt one of them well-loved US Soldiers or a black man on TV wearing FUBU, rapping about his nine.

I agree, black folks should be judged on their abilities. But they're not back home, and they're especially not here.

Then again it's getting harder to get a job as a male here, let alone a black one. They want women only these days. I figure because they feel women teachers will be easier to bully around, but that's just me.

Then again it's getting harder to get a job as a male here, let alone a black one. They want women only these days. I figure because they feel women teachers will be easier to bully around, but that's just me.

newp, its cuz guys often come in drunk, bring their girlfriends, and are mostly looking to have a good time, ie (sex, food, and alcohol) rather than, you know, hold a job or some other ridiculous idea along those lines.

For those people who have trouble because of their race I have an idea that may work, but I might be off. When I was there, I knew this guy from the caribbean who was working at a christian hogwan. Being a "caribbean" christian, he wasn't exactly a fundamentalist. Toked. Drank. The whole nine yards. The only christian thing he had to do was praise Jesus before class and off he went. Maybe you want to apply to christian hogwans, stack your resume with some nice "christian" volunteer activities. It may be that they are a little more accepting and "brotherly" but I can't say for sure.

You are right: there just aren't as many opportunities for non-white native speakers of English to teach overseas, in Asia in particular. I am caucasion, so it hasn't been an issue for me, but I have observed that there are very few blacks in the ESL field, which is a loss for the field in my opinion.

I taught and wrote for a publisher in Korea for a total of seven years back in the early 90's. Have taught in several other countries. Same story all along regarding "minorities." The other story though has to do with age; our field is a young one overseas. Unless you are in with the school already, an older teacher starts seeing opportunities slip away with each year added to his DOB (date of birth) answer.

I am currently teaching in Saudi Arabia. The university I am with is quite large and we do happen to have one black teacher here who is British, I believe. I think the staff here would welcome an application from you. We've got British, American (caucasions only so far), Irish, Australians, New Zealanders, and several teachers from South Africa (white, though). The students are being exposed to all these different English accents; I am sure an African-American accent, if you have it, would be just another in the mix, and welcomed. Email me if you'd like to think about it. The pay is great (better than Korea, really), time off is great (lots of paid vacation). Just got to put up with region and its quarks! I'm here for the experience, (and boy are we having an experience these days!) and will leave after just one year. While it is challenging, I find it quite a valuable professional development experience. Give it some thought.
WILLOW

I was told that they are only looking for caucasian teachers. I am Filipino-American and was disappointed to hear this.

Keep on trying! I've met Filipino teachers. One of my friends works at a university, and his co-worker was a Filipino from the Philippines. I don't know how it happened. If you have an American passport, you should be able to do it too.

As the African-American guy said, try the American and/or Canadian schools. There is a significantly higher chance of getting hired there.

I do significantly see more caucasian foreigners.. but its also a reflection of our society. As much as we'd like to say that North America is purely multicultural and everything else.. and while sure it is in places - Vancouver, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, etc.. by and large the majority of Americans and Canadians are overwhelingly white, and this same reflection exists in the native speakers abroad teaching English abroad.

To make a long story short, its not an exclusive club. You should be able to find your niche. Just don't believe any of the other propoganda. Once you get out here, you'll notice its not a caucasian only club..

It might be a little tougher as I would imagine. But alot of us want you here as well.. particularly so we show the Koreans that we aren't some homogeneous hamburger-munching pale-skinned group of chopstick-tokin freaks..

Then again it's getting harder to get a job as a male here, let alone a black one. They want women only these days. I figure because they feel women teachers will be easier to bully around, but that's just me.

Also did you ever notice how FEW Korean male English teachers there are? The hogwan owners always tell you that pretty Korean female teachers bring in more students. Also notice how those Korean English teachers are also always between 25-29?

Anyhow, Korea is just filled with stuff like this. The pretty girls outside of the department stores singing up a storm.

If this was North America, none of this would exist. We'd be on Korean Airlines with the 40-year-old mother of 3 kids, looking at old Salvation Army ladies while going into Lotte Department Store, and having some kind of fruity Richard Simmons ajumma-like language teachers..